Process of making calcium or other metal cyanamid.



JAMES HENRY REID, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

PROCESS OF MAKING- GALCIUM QR OTHER METAL CYANAMID.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

i metal and carbon by exposing metal carbid to the action of nitrogen and heat in such a manner that the carbid is su plied to the nitrogen at a temperature su cient to elevate the nitrogen to a point selective to its combination or reaction and fixation and particularly by introducing molten metal carbid, such as calcium carbid, into nitrogen and performing the fixation of the nitrogen upon cooling of the carbid to a selective combining point, with the simultaneous heating of the nitrogen to the initial combining point, in contradistinction to and from the prior art which reveals the supplying of heat and nitrogen. to metal carbid to elevate the temperature up to a.

combining point or change it from a lower to a higher temperature instead of from a higher to a lower temperature which constitutes one of the features of the present invention.

As an example of the process the making of calcium cyanamid from calcium carbid by the action of nitrogen will betaken.

Calcium carbid in a molten state and preferably that which is freshly reduced and made or tapped from a furnace where formed, is introduced into a suitable chamber containing nitrogen'gas and allowed to fall through the atmosphere of nitrogen until the nitrogen combines therewith through the cooling of the carbid and simultaneous heating of the nitrogen gas has created a temperature proper for the combination which results in the formation of'cyanamid and free carbon in accordance with the following chemical reaction or equation CaC +heat+2N=CaCN +C As the carbid seizes the nitrogen and fixes Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 25, 19317.

Application filed June 28, 1915. Serial No. 36,658.

the same, more nitrogen is supplied from t me to time to compensate for that .comblned, provided any is required over that suflicient to satisfy the carbid in its con-' version.

The heat necessary for the initiation or startlng of the reaction is carried with the .carbid and hence is more positive and controlled and of greater heating effect than in'the prior art where heat from exterior combustion or other means is passed through a retort or container to heat cold. carbid which results not only necessarily in expense by loss in the production of combustion heat and through heat resistance of the retort but also in difiiculties experienced through the heat non-conductive carbid together with the surrounding heat non-conductive nitrogen which produces a heat condition almost impossible to control or regulate, thereby increasing the dificulty in maintaining the ingredients within or at a temperature suitable for complete or quick conversion of carbid into cyanamid or the fixation of nitrogen.

The heat liberated by the reaction and the heat conveyed to the nitrogen through the medium of molten carbid co-act tofacilitate the transformation of the carbid and fixation of the nitrogen which fixation progresses after the starting of the reaction and adjusts the temperature with the production of roduct.

y suitable carbid may be employed instead of calcium carbid and the carbid may be-of simple, compound, composite or come plex nature, such as double carbids of calcium and hydrogen, calcium and'barium, etc., without departing from the spirit of the invention, so long as the molten carbid is introduced into the nitrogen or nitrogen carrying yielding or delivering substance.

The preferable carbid, such as. calcium carbid, is that produced by direct combination or reaction of natural limestone or calcium carbonate with. bituminous material, such as bituminous coal, at elevated temperatures preferably induced by electrical resistance, which results in a carbid which melts and flows at a lower temperature than that ordinarily obtained because of its containing hydrogen in the combination or association which also facilitates the conversion into cyanamid in accordance with the following chemical formula or equat1on:-

This largely removes the carbon as asolid contamination of the cyanamid product and renders the material more porous and thus facilitates the action of nitrogen on the carbid at the lower temperatures and with the more perfect result.

The reaction which results from the action of limestone 'or calcium carbonate on hydrocarbon, such as bituminous coal, in the formation of hydrogen-containing calcium carbid or what may be termed calcium hydro-carbid or calcium-ethylenid may be illustrated by the following chemical formula or equation Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The process of making metal cyanamid which comprises introducing a molten metal carbid into an atmosphere of nitrogen and maintaining the association of the ingredients until nitrogen has combined therewith.

2. The process of making metal cyanamid, which comprises exposing a molten metal carbid to the action of nitrogen.

3. The process of mam'ng metal cyanamid which comprises conveying heat to a zone of reaction between metal carbid and nitrogen through the medium of molten or liqueed metal carbid.

4. The process of making metal cyanamid which comprises introducing a molten calcium-cont'ainin carbid into an atmosphere of nitrogen an maintaining the association of the ingredients until nitrogen has combined therewith.

5. The process of making metal cyanamid, which comprises exposing molten calciumcontaining carbid to the action of nitrogen.

6. The process of making calicum cyanamid which comprises introducing molten calcium carbid into an atmosphere of nitrogen and maintaining the association of the ingredients until nitrogen has. combined therewith. I

7. The process of making calcium cyanamid which. comprises exposing molten calcium carbid to the action of nitrogen.

8. The process of making calcium cyanamid which comprises conveying heat to a zone of reaction between calcium carbid and nitrogen through the medium of molten or liquefied metal carbid.

In testimon whereof I aflix my signature in presence 0 two witnesses.

JAJMES HENRY REID. [1,. 5.]

Witnesses:

F. L. WHRITNER, CHARLES WIESENBERG. 

